Satellite communication system employing a combination of time division multiplexing and non-orthogonal pseudorandom noise codes and time slots

ABSTRACT

An improved satellite communication system is provided comprising at least one satellite wherein each satellite provides multiple beams, a plurality of UTs, and at least one gateway connected to a PSTN and communicating with said at least one UT or with a constellation, wherein each of the UTs within a given frequency band is distinguished from another of the UTs employing a combination of TDM and NOPN codes and time slots.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 13/931,146,filed on Jun. 28, 2013, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser.No. 11/403,632, filed on Apr. 13, 2006, both of which are incorporatedherein by reference in their entirety.

I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to cellular telephone systems. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to new and improved systemsand methods for communicating information in mobile cellular telephonesystems or satellite mobile telephone systems employing spread spectrumcommunication signals.

II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Historically, the telephone, which comes from the Greek word ‘tele’,meaning from afar, and ‘phone’, meaning voice or voice sound, is said tohave been invented on Mar. 10, 1876 in Boston, Mass. by Alexander GrahamBell. The principle of the telephone was conceived as early as 1874combining electricity and voice which led to Bell's actual invention ofthe telephone in 1876.

U.S. Pat. No. 174,465 issued Mar. 7, 1876 for improvements in telegraphyis now considered to be the most valuable patent ever issued.

Telstar, the world's first international communications satellite, yearslater was placed into orbit on Jul. 10, 1962 in a collaboration betweenNASA and the Bell System. Today satellites in geosynchronous orbit areused mostly for long distance service.

The basic concept of cellular phones which began in 1947 with crudemobile car phones resulted in the realization that using small cells orrange of service area with frequency re-use could increase the trafficcapacity of mobile phones substantially. However, at this point in timethe technology was nonexistent. The cellular telephone is in fact a typeof two-way radio which in 1947 AT&T proposed at the FCC allocated largenumber of radio spectrum frequencies so that widespread mobile phoneservice could become feasible and provide AT&T an incentive to researchthe new technology. The FCC's decision to limit the cellular phonefrequencies in 1947 resulted in the possibility of only 23 cellularphone conversations which could occur simultaneously in the same servicearea. In 1968 this was increased. Thereafter, a cellular phone systemwas proposed by Bell Laboratories. In 1977 AT&T Bell Labs constructedand operated a prototype cellular phone system. In 1981 Motorola andAmerica Radio Phone started a second U.S. cellular radio phone systemtest in the Washington/Baltimore area. Suddenly consumer demand quicklyoutstripped the cellular phone system's 1982 standards so that by 1987cellular phone subscribers exceeded one million and the airwaves werecrowded. To stimulate the growth of new cellular phone technology, theFCC declared in 1987 that cellular phone licenses may employ alternativecellular phone technologies in the 800 megahertz band.

Digital wireless and cellular find their roots back in the 1940 s whencommercial mobile telephony began. On Jun. 17, 1946 in St. Louis, Mo.,AT&T and Southwestern Bell introduced the first American commercialmobile radio telephone service and mobile telephony a channel is a pairof frequencies, one frequency to transmit on and one to receive.

A cell phone is a portable telephone which receives or sends messagesthrough a cell site or transmitting tower. Radio waves are used totransfer signals to and from the cell phone, each cell site having arange of 3-5 miles and overlapping other cell sites. All of the cellsites are connected to one or more cellular switching exchanges whichcan detect the strength of the signal received from the telephone. Asthe telephone user moves or roams from one cell area to another, theexchange automatically switches the call to the cell site with thestrongest signal. The term ‘cell phone’ is uncommon outside the UnitedStates and Japan. However, almost all mobile phones use cellulartechnology including GSM, CDMA and the old analog mobile phone systems.Hence, the term ‘cell phone’ has been regarded by many to designate anymobile telephone system. An exception to mobile phones which employcellular technology are satellite phones; for example, the Iridium phonesystem which is very much like a cell phone system except the cell sitesare in orbit. Marine radio telephone satellites administered by Inmarsathave a completely different system. The Inmarsat satellite system simplyretransmits whatever signals it receives with a mobile station'sactually logging into a ground station.

With the advent of the Globalstar® satellite telephone system, a greatadvance in the art was recognized by virtue of a basic telephonicsatellite technology which provided a constellation of 48 satellites inlow earth orbit which were much simpler to build and less expensive thanthose of Iridium employing a radically different technology whichemploys code division multiple access, or CDMA, technology, convertingspeech signals into a digital format and then transmitting it from theGlobalstar® satellite phone up to satellite systems and down to theground station. Every call on the Globalstar® system possesses its ownunique code which distinguishes it from the other calls sharing theairwaves at the same time, and employing CDMA provides signals which arefree of interference, cross-talk or static. CDMA was introduced In 1995and soon became the fastest growing wireless technology and one that waschosen by Globalstar® for use in its satellite communications network,which service Globalstar® launched in 2000.

The key features of the Globalstar® satellite phone employing CDMAprovide unique forward and reverse links, direct sequence spreadspectrum, seamless soft handoff, universal frequency re-use, propagationthrough multiple overlapping beams on multiple satellites for diversity,and variable rate transmission.

The Globalstar® satellite phone service is delivered through 48 lowearth orbiting satellites providing both voice and data services. Theso-called Globalstar® LEO constellation consists of satellites arrangedin a Walker constellation, and each satellite is approximately 700 milesfrom the earth which allows for the highest quality voice clarity of anysatellite phone in the industry. At the heart of the Globalstar® systemas initially proposed is Qualcomm's adaptation of code division multipleaccess technology which provides Globalstar's® digital satelliteservice, resulting in a technology which provides signal security,superior quality, fewer dropped calls and greater reliability. Calls canbe made from any gateway via any satellite of the system to any userterminal, as long as the satellite is co-visible from both gateway anduser terminal. This co-visibility is what defines a gateway servicearea; at least 24 gateways around the globe are used to provideworldwide coverage. Each satellite serves at least 2,000 simultaneoususers.

The Globalstar® system employs redundancy with every call that acustomer places so that a call is routed through as many as foursatellites which then combine the signal into a single static-free call.In the event that one of the paths to one of the satellites is blocked,the other satellites keep the call from terminating, applying thetechnology of path diversity which minimizes dropped calls and enhancesthe quality of the Globalstar® satellite phone service. The Globalstar®system employs bent pipe technology which allows a call to be firstbeamed up to the satellite and then retransmitted to a relatively closegateway. The call is then sent through its call destination through landline or cellular networks. The Globalstar® gateway carries out all theprocessing and switching of the calls which improves the reliability ofthe call delivery, unlike the Iridium system which requiressatellite-to-satellite transmission.

In addition, the Globalstar® system, which provides reliable calldelivery with voice characteristics the same or better than conventionaltelephony, complements the current cellular telephone systems inexistence by allowing the user to first use conventional cellular, whichis far less expensive but totally dependent upon the proximity of cellsites for its reliability, and then allows the user to select theGlobalstar© satellite system where cell sites are far too distant to bereliable or in remote locations where these sites are non-existent. Codedivision multiple access, which refers to a multiple access scheme wherestations use spread spectrum modulations and orthogonal codes to avoidinterfering with one another, is typically employed in Globalstar®systems. The CDMA modulation technique is one of several techniques forfacilitating communications in which a large number of system users arepresent. Other multiple access communications system techniques such astime division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access(FDMA), and AM modulation schemes such as amplitude expanded singlesideband (ACSSB) are known in the art. The spread spectrum modulationtechnique of CDMA is found to have significant advantages over thesemodulation techniques for multiple access communications systems. CDMAtechniques in multiple access communications systems are disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307 entitled Spread Spectrum Multiple AccessCommunication System Using Satellite or Terrestrial Repeaters, thedisclosure thereof is incorporated by reference.

In this patent, a multiple access technique is disclosed where a largenumber of mobile telephone system users each having a transceivercommunicate through satellite repeaters or terrestrial base stations,also referred to as cell sites stations, cell sites, or for short cells,using code division multiple access (CDMA) spread spectrum communicationsignals. Frequency spectrum employed in CDMA can be reused multipletimes, thus permitting an increase in system user capacity. The CDMA isfound to result in a much higher spectral efficiency than can beachieved using other multiple access techniques.

Satellite channels employing this system typically experience fadingthat is characterized as Rician. Accordingly, this signal is found toconsist of a direct component summed with a multiple reflected componenthaving a Rayleigh fading statistic. A power ratio between the direct andreflected component is typically found to be on the order of 6 to 10 dBsdepending upon the characteristics of the mobile unit antenna and theenvironment about the mobile unit. Contrasted to the satellite channel,the terrestrial channel experiences signal fading that typicallyconsists of the Rayleigh faded component without a direct component.This terrestrial channel is found to present a more severe fadingenvironment than the satellite channel in which the Rician fading is thedominant fading characteristic.

The Rayleigh fading characteristics experienced in the terrestrialsignal is found to be caused by the signal being reflected from manydifferent features of the physical environment, resulting in a signalwhich arrives at a mobile unit receiver from many directions withdifferent transmission delays. In the UHF frequency bands which areusually employed for mobile radio communications, including cellularmobile telephone systems, there is found to be significant phasedifferences in signals traveling on different paths which provides thepossibility of destructive summation of the signals causing occasionaldeep fades. Physical position of the mobile unit is a strong function ofthe terrestrial channel fading so that small changes in the position ofthe mobile unit change the physical delays of all the signal propagationpaths which further result in a different phase for each path. Themotion of the mobile unit through the environment can result in a rapidfading process; for example, employing 850 MHz cellular radio frequencyband, the fading can typically be as fast as one fade per second permile per hour of the vehicle speed. This level of fading is found to beextremely disruptive to signals in a terrestrial channel, resulting inpoor communication quality. Quality may be improved by providingadditional power to overcome the fading, which in itself affects boththe user in excessive power consumption and the system by increasedinterference. Certain CDMA modulation techniques disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 4,901,307 offer some advantages over narrow band modulationtechniques using communication systems employing satellite orterrestrial repeaters. The terrestrial channel is found to pose specialproblems to any communication system, particularly with respect tomultiple path. These problems may be overcome by using CDMA techniqueswhich overcome the special problems of the terrestrial channel bymitigating the adverse effect of multipath, for example fading, whilealso exploiting the advantages of multipath.

CDMA cellular telephone systems allow the same frequency band to beemployed for communication in all calls. CDMA waveform properties thatprovide processing gain are also used to discriminate between signalsthat occupy the same frequency band. Furthermore, the high speedpseudo-noise PN modulation allows many different propagation paths to beseparated provided the difference in path delay exceed the PN chipduration; i.e., 1/bandwidth. It is found that if a PN chip rate ofapproximately one MHz is employed in a CDM system, the full spreadspectrum processing gain equal to the ratio of the spread bandwidth tosystem data rate can be employed against paths that differ by more thanone microsecond in path delay from desired path. It is found that a onemicrosecond path delay differential corresponds to differential pathdistance of approximately 1,000 feet, the urban environment typicallyproviding differential path delays in excess of one microsecond and upto 10-20 microseconds in some areas. When narrow band modulation systemsare employed, such as at analog FM modulation, by conventional telephonesystems, the existence of multiple paths results in severe multipathfading. By employing wideband CDMA modulation, the different paths maybe discriminated against in the demodulation process which greatlyreduces the severity of multipath fading. Although multipath fading isnot totally eliminated using CDMA discrimination techniques, there willoccasionally exist paths with delayed differentials of less than the PNchip duration for the particular system. For signals which possess pathdelays on this order, it is found that signals cannot be discriminatedagainst in the demodulator, resulting in some degree of fading.

It becomes apparent that some form of diversity is desirable which wouldpermit a system to reduce fading. One such system is diversity whichmitigates the deleterious effects of fading. The three major types ofdiversity which may be employed are time diversity, frequency diversityand space diversity. Time diversity is found to be best obtained by theuse of repetition, time interleaving and error detection and codingwhich is a form of repetition.

CDMA by its inherent nature possessing a wide band signal which offers aform of frequency diversity by spreading the signal energy over a widebandwidth, resulting in a small part of the CDMA signal bandwidthexperiencing selective fading effects.

Space or path diversity is obtained by providing multiple signal pathsthrough simultaneous links from a mobile user through two or more cellsites. Path diversity may be obtained by exploiting the multipathenvironment through spread spectrum processing by allowing a signalarriving with different propagation delays to be received and processedseparately. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,501 entitled Soft Handoff in a CDMACellular Telephone System, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,390 entitledDiversity Receiver in a CDMA Cellular Telephone System, examples of pathdiversity are illustrated. Further control of deleterious effects in aCDMA system may be realized by controlling transmitter power. Such asystem for cell site mobile unit power control is disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 5,056,109 entitled Method and Apparatus for Controlling TransmissionPower in a CDMA Cellular Mobile Telephone System. Techniques asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307 contemplate the use of coherentmodulation and demodulation for both directions of the link in mobilesatellite communications. A pilot carrier signal as a coherent phasereference for the satellite to mobile link and the cell to mobile linkis disclosed. It is found, however, that the severity of multipathfading experienced in the terrestrial cellular environment with theresulting phase disruption of the channel precludes usage of coherentdemodulation techniques for the mobile to cell link.

Relatively long PN sequences with each user channel being assigned adifferent PN sequence are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307. Thedifferent user signals may be discriminated upon reception employing thecross correlation between different PN sequences and the autocorrelation of a PN sequence for all time shifts other than zero whereboth have a zero average value. Although the cross correlations averagezero for a short time interval, such as an information bit time, thecross correlation follows a binomial distribution since PN signals arenot orthogonal. As such, signals interfere with each other much the sameas if they were wide bandwidth Gaussian noise resulting in other usersignals or mutual interference noise ultimately limiting the achievablecapacity.

Multipath can provide path diversity to a wide band PN CDMA system whichuses greater than 1 MHz bandwidth if two or more paths are availablewith greater than one microsecond differential path delay. Two or morePN receivers can be employed to separately receive these signals. Thesesignals typically will exhibit independence in multipath fading, i.e.,they usually do not fade together, the outputs of the two receivers canbe diversity combined. It is found that a loss in performance in thissituation only occurs when both receivers experience fades at the sametime, hence two or more PN receivers in combination with a diversitycombiner may be employed utilizing a waveform that permits pathdiversity combining operations to be performed.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307 filed Oct. 17, 1986, issued Feb. 13, 1990, acommunication system which accommodates a large number of usersthroughout a variety of user environments from high density urban tovery low density rural is provided which results in a multiple accesscommunication system to having high simultaneous user capacity.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,501 filed Nov. 7, 1989, issued Mar. 31, 1992,there is disclosed a CDMA cellular telephone system wherein the samefrequency band is used for all cells employing CDMA waveform propertiesthat provide processing gains which are also used to discriminatebetween signals that occupy the same frequency band.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,459 filed Jun. 25, 1990, issued Apr. 7, 1992,there is disclosed spread spectrum communication techniques,particularly CDMA techniques, in the mobile cellular telephoneenvironment which provide features to vastly enhance system reliabilityand capacity over other communication system techniques overcomingfading and interference while providing greater frequency reuse andenabling a substantial increase in the number of system users.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,390 filed Nov. 7, 1989, issued Apr. 28, 1992,there is disclosed a CDMA cellular telephone system where the samefrequency band is used for communication in all cells to provide acellular telephone system in which a receiver design facilitatesreception and processing of the strongest signals transmitted from oneor more cell sites, the signals being multipath signals from a singlecell site or signals transmitted by multiple cell sites.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,626 filed May 11, 1992, issued Aug. 3, 1993,there is disclosed a repeater diversity spread spectrum communicationsystem providing substantially fade free communications between atransmitter (1) and a receiver (7). A transmitted signal is relayedthrough a plurality of linear communications repeaters (3-6) thatproduce copies of the transmitted signal, the copies each arrivingthrough an independently fading signal path. The receiver processes thereceived signal copies to equalize them to one another in delay,frequency, and phase, and then combines the multiple received andequalized signal copies to produce a composite signal having a greatlyreduced fading depth.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,261 filed Mar. 5, 1992, issued Nov. 30, 1993,there is provided a system for directing handoff in mobile stationcommunication between base stations which employ code division multipleaccess techniques.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,262 filed Oct. 8, 1991, issued Nov. 30, 1993,there is disclosed a CDMA cellular mobile telephone wherein thetransmitter power of the mobile units are controlled so as to produce atthe cell site a nominal received signal power from each and every mobileunit transmitter operating within the cell. Thus, the transmitter poweris controlled in the terrestrial channel and the cell diversityenvironment so as to overcome deleterious fading without causingunnecessary system interference.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,286 filed Mar. 29, 1991, issued Apr. 12, 1994,there is disclosed a radio communication system capable of servicing aroaming user or the like outside the range of terrestrial relay stationsincluding a packet switched network and database of roaming users, asatellite communications system having at least one, but usually aplurality of orbiting satellites over a terrestrial satellite servicearea, a satellite control center and a plurality of terrestrialcommunication links wherein call setup is controlled by processors anddatabases onboard the orbiting satellites and wherein only after thesatellite link for the communication channels is completed, does controland switching rely on ground base system such that the orbitingsatellites are integrated into a ground based telephone network andtariff structure.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,474 filed Mar. 27, 1992, issued May 3, 1994,there is disclosed spread spectrum communication techniques,particularly CDMA, in a mobile cellular telephone environment whichprovides features to vastly enhance system reliability and capacity overother communication system techniques.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,797 filed Jan. 24, 1992, issued May 16, 1995,there is disclosed a system for constructing PN sequences that provideorthogonality between the users so that mutual interference will bereduced allowing higher capacity and better link performance, employingspread spectrum communication techniques, particularly CDMA, in a mobilecellular telephone environment.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,297 filed Sep. 15, 1995, issued Feb. 3, 1998,there is disclosed a radio communication system capable of servicing aroaming user or the like outside the range of terrestrial relay stationswhich includes a packet switched network and database of roaming users,a satellite communications system having at least one, but usually aplurality of orbiting satellites over a terrestrial satellite servicearea, a satellite control center and a plurality of terrestrialcommunication links, wherein call setup is controlled by processors anddatabases onboard the orbiting satellites and wherein only after thesatellite link for the communication channels is completed, does controland switching rely on ground based equipment such that the orbitingsatellites are integrated to a ground based telephone network and tariffstructure.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,837 filed Sep. 22, 1997, issued May 11, 1999,there is disclosed a radio communication system capable of servicing aroaming user or the like outside the range of terrestrial relay stationswhich includes a packet switched network and database of roaming users,a satellite communications system having at least one, but usually aplurality of orbiting satellites over a terrestrial satellite servicearea, a satellite control center and a plurality of terrestrialcommunication links wherein call setup is controlled by processors anddatabases onboard the orbiting satellites and wherein only after thesatellite link for the communication channel is completed, does controland switching rely on ground based equipment such that the orbitingsatellites are integrated into a ground based telephone network andtariff structure.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,072,768 filed Sep. 4, 1996, issued Jun. 6, 2000,there is disclosed a communication system having a satellitecommunication component comprising at least one satellite and at leastone terrestrial gateway and also a wireless terrestrial communicationcomponent comprising at least one repeater and at least one mobileswitching center, the gateway and switching center coupled together by afirst mobile applications part network, the gateway and the mobileswitching center further coupled to a terrestrial communication network,further including at least one dual mode or higher tri-mode userterminal comprising a first transceiver for bidirectionallycommunicating with the gateway through the satellite, a secondtransceiver for bidirectionally communicating with the mobile switchingcenter through the repeater and a controller responsive to one of a userselected or a gateway selected protocol for selectively enabling eitherthe first or the second transceiver for conveying a user communicationto a terrestrial communication network.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,529,485 filed Oct. 20, 1998, issued Mar. 4, 2003,there is disclosed a method for generating a Doppler-free local clock ina communications network having a master reference terminal (400) and aterminal (200) exchanging references and management bursts, includessteps for determining a transmit timing correction value responsive tothe management burst received by the master reference terminal (400),determining a receive timing correction value responsive to thereference burst received by the terminal (200), and adjusting thefrequency of a clock responsive to both the transmit timing correctionvalue and the receive timing correction value to thereby generate theDoppler-free local clock.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,236 filed Aug. 31, 1999, issued Oct. 28, 2003,there disclosed an apparatus for generating a PN sequence with anarbitrary number of bits where the number of bits is provided inparallel with each clock pulse, allowing the sequences to be generatedat high speed when needed and allowing parallel processing in theacquisition and demodulation processes.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,693,951 filed Jul. 23, 1999, issued Feb. 17, 2004,there is disclosed implementation of spread spectrum communicationtechniques, particularly CDMA, in a mobile cellular telephoneenvironment which provides features that vastly enhance systemreliability and capacity over other communication system techniques,overcoming, for example, fading and interference while promoting greaterfrequency reuse, enabling a substantial increase in the number of systemusers.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,714,780 filed Jun. 12, 2001, issued Mar. 30, 2004,there is disclosed a multibeam communication system having a userterminal, a communications station for transmitting information to andreceiving information from the user terminal and a plurality of beamsources where each beam source projects a plurality of beams and where acommunication link between the user terminal and the communicationsstation is established on one or more beams, providing a system andmethod for reducing call dropping rates while maintaining a desiredlevel of beam source diversity.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,813,259 filed Jul. 15, 1898, issued Nov. 2, 2004,there is disclosed a method and apparatus for providing a low 2-pointCell delay variation (CDV) for cell or packet transmissions via a TDMAor TDM network, where the cells or packets are assembled in bursts orslots for transmission. In order to permit a TDMA or TDM network thatcarries cells or packets between source and destination pairs toguarantee that a desired 2-point CDV will be met, for example, a 3 msCDV required for Class 1 traffic, each cell is associated with atransmitted TDMA or TDM frame. Using a time counter and a frame counterin a transmitter interface, the cell or packet has appended to it a timecount and a frame count that is sent across the network and madeavailable to the receiving TDMA/TDM terminal. The receiving terminaluses this timing information to perform traffic shaping of the cell orpacket stream, thereby reducing the impact of the 2-point CDV as well asthe effect of cell clumping prior to distribution on a terrestrialnetwork.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,839,007 filed Sep. 9, 2002, issued Jan. 4, 2005,there is disclosed embodiments which address the need for reliabletransmission of higher priority data within a frame wherein an innercode is applied to one or more partial segments of a transmitted dataframe, in addition to an outer code applied to the entire frame, theinner code segment being retained when the inner decoding decodeswithout error providing the benefit of reducing the number ofretransmissions of higher priority data, as well as reducing delay fortime sensitive segments of the frame.

Various satellite telephone systems have been proposed, including thoseas depicted in the FCC filing for “Authority to Launch and Operate aSatellite System to Provide Mobile Satellite Services in the 2 GHzBands” dated Nov. 3, 2000, relating to the Globalstar® system, which ishereby incorporated by reference; the FCC filing in the matter of MobileSatellite Ventures Subsidiary, LLC for “Minor Amendment of Applicationto Launch and Operate a Replacement L Band Mobile Service Satellite at101° West” dated Nov. 18, 2003; and the FCC filing by Thoraya whichdepicts a one GEO satellite system to provide a satellite telephoneservice.

Thus, it can be seen from the inception of the telephone through itsvarious phases of improvement, cellular to satellite cellular telephony,a vast number of advances have been made which provide a modern,efficient and affordable telephone system which today, in many cases,supplants the existing telephone system and may in the future do so onan increasing basis.

There is, however, a continuing demonstrated need to provide improvedsatellite constellation systems, preferably LEO systems, which providemultiple beams to a plurality of users and employ at least one gatewayconnected to a PSTN communicating with a user over the constellationwhere each of the users within a given frequency band is distinguishedfrom another employing orthogonal codes.

Although previous patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307 describe orreference a multi-beam satellite system, these beams are considered tocover fixed regions on the ground, which requires a GEO satellite. Inthis case, the same sort of hand-off of a user terminal from beam tobeam can be used as is used in a terrestrial cellular system. However,the '307 patent does not address the case where the beams and satellitesare rapidly moving as they are in a MEO or LEO system, since it waswritten in an era that preceded the satellite technology that enabledlarge numbers of relatively smaller satellites (such as Globalstar's®)to be economically and reliably launched and controlled. Therefore, thehand-off issues described in the '307 patent are much simpler than thoseencountered in the Globalstar® system or similar LEO or MEO systems, oreven those encountered in GEO systems which have dynamically varyingbeam shapes, which is another technological advance that is now feasiblein satellite systems. That patent also does not address packet dataservices, since those were not widely used in the time frame of thepatent. Other patents that address packet data services also do notaddress the LEO, MEO or dynamic beam GEO systems. The present inventiondescribes a multi-beam LEO, MEO or GEO satellite system that can be usedto provide packet data services (in addition to voice) for mobile users,that can be either initiating or receiving packet data calls over thesystem, while communicating with either a fixed or mobile user anywherein the world.

III. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improvedsatellite communication system comprising at least one satelliteemploying multiple beams to a plurality of users where each of the userswithin a given frequency band is distinguished from another employing acombination of time division multiplexing (TDM) and non-orthogonalpseudorandom noise (NOPN) codes and time slots.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved LEOsatellite system which provides multiple beams to a plurality of usersemploying at least one gateway connected to a PSTN wherein each of saidUTs within a given frequency band is distinguished from another of saidUTs employing a combination of TDM and NOPN codes.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improvedsatellite communication system which provides multiple beams to aplurality of users employing at least one gateway connected to anInternet wherein each of said users within a given frequency band isdistinguished from another of said UTs employing a combination of TDMand NOPN codes wherein each of said users within a given frequency bandis distinguished from another of said users employing a combination ofNOPN codes and time slots.

Again another object of this invention is to provide an improved MEOsatellite system providing multiple beams to a plurality of usersemploying at least one gateway connected to a PSTN or the Internetwherein each of said users within a given frequency band isdistinguished from another of said users employing a combination of NOPNcodes and time slots.

Yet again another object of this invention is to provide an improvedsatellite communication system which provides multiple beams to aplurality of users employing at least one gateway connected to either aPSTN or the Internet wherein the users within a given frequency band aredistinguished one from the other employing a combination of NOPN codesand time slots.

IV. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other objects of the instant invention are accomplished,generally speaking, by providing an improved satellite communicationsystem employing at least one satellite using multiple beams to aplurality of user terminals wherein a gateway is employed to connect toeither a PSTN or an Internet, communicating with a user terminal overthe constellation so that the users within a given frequency range aredistinguished one from the other employing a combination of NOPN codesand time slots.

Thus, for example, in a preferred embodiment an improved LEO satelliteconstellation system is provided comprising approximately 40 to 48satellites as presently employed in the Globalstar® system, employingmultiple beams which may reach a plurality of user terminals. This ismore fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,325 which is incorporatedherein. A gateway is employed connected to either a PSTN or the Internetand communicating with a user terminal over the constellation so thateach user within a given frequency band is distinguished from another ofsaid users employing a combination of TDM and NOPN codes.

The system described herein employs NOPN codes to serve fixed terminals.The system includes TDM on the forward link from a gateway through thesatellite to the UT. The forward link transmission is divided into dataframes with multiple slots per frame. Each slot is assigned to aseparate UT so that users are distinguished from each other by means ofthe time slots in each frame. Based on the location of the user, thegateway can assign a specific beam of a separate satellite. In order tominimize interference between two users who are assigned the same timeslot in adjacent beams, each transmission is further modulated by ascrambling code that is a PN, or pseudorandom noise, sequence uniquelyassigned to each beam. Cross-correlation between any two of these PNsequences is minimal, so as to reduce interference between beams. If auser's location is covered by two different satellites, the gatewaytransmits to that UT on both satellites, and diversity combining is usedin the UT to combine these two signals and improve bit error rate (BER)performance.

The power allocated to each UT in each time slot is predetermined by thegateway and is used to vary the data rate to the UT as its propagationenvironment changes. This technique is also referred to in the art asHSDPA, or high speed digital packet access in the terrestrial WCDMAstandard, or wideband CDMA. An alternative is to use power controlsimilar to what is employed in the current generation of Globalstar®where the UT data rate is kept constant and the power transmitted to theUT is varied according to propagation environment.

The center frequency of the signal transmitted to each UT is adjusted topre-compensate for Doppler between the gateway and satellite, thusminimizing the search time and window that the UT needs to lock on tothe signal. This technique is currently used in the Globalstar® system.Similarly, the timing of signals in each time slot transmitted to eachUT is adjusted by the gateway based on a calculated position of each UT;this calculation may be done either by incorporating GPS into each UT,which informs the gateway of its coordinates, or by other known methodsof position location, such as the techniques currently employed in theGlobalstar® system which is predicated on triangulation using multipledifferent delays from different satellites.

A separate narrowband control signal is transmitted from the gateway toeach UT having a fixed frequency for all UTs and is employed to informthe UTs as to the center frequency to be used in transmitting forwardlink signals in that gateway service area.

In the reverse link from UT to satellite to gateway, each user isassigned a different phase shift of a long PN code. These phase shiftsensure that the cross-correlation between different user signals at thegateway is minimal. This technique is referred to as NOPN in thisinvention once these PN codes are not orthogonal, although they have lowcross-correlation. Transmissions through multiple satellites arecombined at the gateway as in the current Globalstar® system. Eachtransmission from a UT consists of a short preamble which is used toreduce burst acquisition complexity at the gateway. Each preambleidentifies all users transmitting at a unique data rate. Reverse linkpower control may be performed as in the current Globalstar® system,where data rate is fixed and power is varied as needed to meet the linkbudget, or by varying the data rate and keeping UT power fixed, as wasmentioned for the forward link recited above. Typically, this presents atradeoff which needs to be made between allowing a greater number of UTdata rates to improve granularity of power utilization versus hardwarecomplexity at the gateway.

In this system, the gateway receiver compensates for the gateway tosatellite Doppler based on accurately known satellite positions and forthe less precisely known UT locations.

Typically, for the forward link each user is assigned a fixed time slotof a frame such as 5 ms slot in a 40 ms frame and different users aretime division multiplexed, or TDM, onto a single frequency carrier. Inthe return direction, the data from the different UTs Is distinguishedusing different time slots which may typically be 10 MS long; a group ofusers assigned a particular time slot and a particular phase shift of avery long pseudorandom code, or PN code. Different phase shifts of sucha code are used to increase the number of users supported since thenumber of time slots of a single code would limit the number of usersthat can be supported. This describes the conventional techniquereferred to as NOPN, or non-orthogonal PN code usage.

Any suitable satellite may be employed in the system of the instantinvention. Typical satellites include bent pipe repeaters, satellitesequipped with low end processing power to those that include highprocessing systems.

Any suitable gateway may be employed in the system of the instantinvention. Typical gateways include the Globalstar® gateway which ismore fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,804,514, FIG. 2B.

The gateway consists of the following major subsystems:

a) Transceivers and associated RF antennas, which transmit RF signals tothe satellite constellation and receive RF signals from the satelliteconstellation. A typical gateway for a satellite system has two or moreantennas each of which is able to track one of the two or moresatellites visible to the gateway.

b) A TDM/NOPN code subsystem that modulates/demodulates andspreads/despreads the CDMA signals that are being transmitted/receivedby the transceivers.

c) A Gateway Controller (GC) that is used to control the operation of

all the gateway subsystems.

d) A Baseband Processing Subsystem (BPS) that processes and transmitsthe baseband signals between the CDMA subsystem and an IS-41 switchand/or a GSM switch, both of which connect to the PSTN and enable themobile satellite users' calls to be routed to and from terrestrialcallers on the PSTN.

e) A Call Control Processor (CCP) that generally handles radio setup andchannel assignments, along with other call related functions. The CCPmay include the gateway Visitor Location Register (VLR) that enablesroaming between gateways.

f) Current gateways comprise a Global Mobile System Interface (GSMI) ora router which connects to the Internet. The router routes data packetsto/from the Internet or other packet data network. The GSMI detects thepresence of a GSM call and routes it to the GSM switch and enables GSMroaming. Optimal systems would not have a GSMI.

The signal is received at the MSS Gateway and, after downconverting,demodulating in transceivers and CDMA system, and otherwise beingprocessed, is delivered to a BPS. The signal after processing by the BPSis provided as an output. This output signal may be sent to a MobileSwitching Center (MSC), such as an IS-41 switch or a GSM switch (thatcontains the GSM VLR), or to a Router, or it may be provided directly tothe HS/LS Interface in the High Speed System. Depending on the meanschosen, the signal is either routed via an internal or external networkto the Operations Center (also referred to herein as the User ControlCenter). The signal is then processed by the Operations Center and,depending on the nature of the call setup desired, is routed to theexternal network for interaction with the Media provider, or is usedotherwise in the Operations Center. The Operations Center may becollocated with the Gateway, or it may be at a remote location andconnected though the external network.

Further components of the MSS Gateway include a Call Control Processor(CCP) that generally handles radio setup and channel assignments, amongother call-related functions. The CCP can Include the Gateway VLR. AGSMI detects the presence of a GSM call and routes the call to the GSMswitch, enabling the possibility of GSM roaming. These variouscomponents can be included with or within a signaling system seven(SS-7) server unit. If present, the HLR could be part of the SS-7server.

The Gateway Controller (GC) provides overall control of the Gateway, andthat provides an Interface to and controls the operation of the set ofHigh Speed Equipment.

It should be noted that if the media or data flowing towards the user islow speed data, the signal after processing by the Operations Center issent to the MSS system for delivery via the satellites to the UT in thenormal manner of the MSS system. The decision logic or point of whichpath (LS or HS) to use may be located in the Operations Center, or maybe located in the HS/LS Interface.

The UT can be used for the delivery of tracking and terminal controlsignals, as well as for low speed (MSS) data delivery and transmission.The MSS system receives supervision and control signals from theOperations Control Center or from any external facility. Alternatively,the UT and the Dual Terminal can be controlled from the HS Data Systemcollocated with the MSS Gateway. Commands and other signals are sent viathe MSS low speed data system over Control and Supervision Links. In analternative embodiment, the commands and other signals may be sent overthe High Speed system. As was mentioned above, a packet data modem couldalso be used, as could more than one UT.

Tracking signals are important when the Dual Terminal is fitted withtracking antennas. A MSS Ground Operations Control Center (GOCC)provides information over a Ground Data Network (GDN) as to whichsatellite(s) of the constellation to use and for other transmissionparameters, such as power at which to transmit, frequencies to use,which RF antenna(s) are to be used, etc. Antenna pointing information issent to the Operations Center, which is preferably also connected to theGDN. The tracking and other information is sent over the Control andSupervision links to the UT and, after processing, to the baseband unitof the Dual Terminal: The baseband unit converts the information tocontrol signals used by a Track Information unit to point and track theantenna or antennas of the Dual Terminal.

Also located in the High Speed Equipment System of the Dual Gateway is aControl and Billing Management system. The Billing and Management systemis preferably connected to the GOCC via the GDN, but may instead beconnected to the Gateway Management System (GMS) of the MSS Gateway. TheBilling and Management system accounts for system usage and providesCall Detail Records and other information such that the user can becharged appropriately, and so that the air time used can be correctlycharged to the. system provider.

System control is exercised so that priorities of transmission areaccounted for. For example, High Speed Data may be restricted duringcertain periods of time in order to allow maximum MSS voice circuitusage during high voice traffic periods. Conversely, more of the MSSbandwidth can be allocated to the High Speed Data Services duringperiods of lower MSS voice/data traffic demand. In this case the highspeed data can be spread over a wider bandwidth, enabling higher datarates. It should be noted that in some embodiments it may not benecessary to share the in-band spectrum between the LS/HS services, asadjacent spectrum may be employed for providing the HS services (and/orfor providing the LS services). Gateway provider control can be used forthese purposes, or the control may be dictated by the GOCC under thedirection of the system operator.

Any suitable satellite constellation may be employed to practice thesystem of the instant invention. Typical satellite constellationsinclude LEO, MEO and GEO. Preferred of these is the LEO satellite whichprovides the requisite signal reception, reliability and clarity.

Any suitable user terminal may be employed in the system of the instantinvention. Typical user terminals include mobile phones, PDAs, laptops,fixed phones, satellite data modem, car kits, airplane phones, and anydevices or sensors that can be interfaced to any of the above.Preferable of these is the Globalstar® satellite phone GSP 1600, Iridiumsatellite phone, and the like.

Any suitable gateway may be employed in the system of the instantinvention. Typical gateways include those described in assigneeGlobalstar's® U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,775,251, 6,735,440, 6,661,996, 6,253,080,6,134,423, 6,067,442, 5,918,157, 5,884,142, 5,812,538, 5,758,261,5,634,190 and 5,592,481. A preferable one of these is the gateway asdescribed in FIG. 2B of U.S. Pat. No. 6,804,514.

IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above set forth and other features of the invention are made moreapparent in the ensuing Detailed Description of the Invention when readin conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a satellite communication system that isconstructed and operated in accordance with a presently preferredembodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one of the gateways of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a block diagram of the communications payload of one of thesatellites of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3B illustrates a portion of a beam pattern that is associated withone of the satellites of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a block diagram that depicts the ground equipment support ofsatellite telemetry and control functions.

VI. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a presently preferred embodiment of a satellitecommunication system 10 that is suitable for use with the presentlypreferred embodiment of this invention. Before describing this inventionin detail, a description will first be made of the communication system10 so that a more complete understanding may be had of the presentinvention.

The communication system 10 may be conceptually sub-divided into aplurality of segments 1, 2, 3 and 4. Segment 1 is referred to herein asa space segment, segment 2 as a user segment, segment 3 as a ground(terrestrial) segment, and segment 4 as a terrestrial systeminfrastructure segment; e.g., a telephone infrastructure.

In the presently preferred embodiment of this invention there are atotal of 48 satellites in, by example, a 1414 km Low Earth Orbit (LEO).The satellites 12 are distributed in eight orbital planes with sixequally-spaced satellites per plane (Walker constellation). The orbitalplanes are inclined at 52 degrees with respect to the equator and eachsatellite completes an orbit once every 114 minutes. This approachprovides approximately full-earth coverage with, preferably, at leasttwo satellites in view at any given time from a particular user locationbetween about 70 degree south latitude and about 70 degree northlatitude. As such, a user is enabled to communicate to or from nearlyany point on the earth's surface within a gateway (GW) 18 coverage areato or from other points on the earth's surface (by way of the PSTN), viaone or more gateways 18 and one or more of the satellites 12, possiblyalso using a portion of the terrestrial infrastructure segment 4.

It is noted at this point that the foregoing and ensuing description ofthe system 10 represents but one suitable embodiment of a communicationsystem within which the teaching of this invention may find use. Thatis, the specific details of the communication system are not to be reador construed in a limiting sense upon the practice of this invention.

Continuing now with a description of the system 10, a soft transfer(handoff) process between satellites 12, and also between individualones of 16 spot beams transmitted by each satellite (FIG. 3B), providesunbroken communications via a combination of time division and phaseshifts of long PN codes.

The low earth orbits permit low-powered fixed or mobile user terminals13 to communicate via the satellites 12, each of which functions, in apresently preferred embodiment of this invention, solely as a “bentpipe” repeater to receive a communications traffic signal (such asspeech and/or data) from a user terminal 13 or from a gateway 18,convert the received communications traffic signal to another frequencyband, and to then re-transmit the converted signal. That is, no on-boardsignal processing of a received communications traffic signal occurs,and the satellite 12 does not become aware of any intelligence that areceived or transmitted communications traffic signal may be conveying.

Furthermore, there need be no direct communication link or links betweenthe satellites 12. That is, each of the satellites 12 receives a signalonly from a transmitter located in the user segment 2 or from atransmitter located in the ground segment 3, and transmits a signal onlyto a receiver located in the user segment 2 or to a receiver located inthe ground segment 3.

The user segment 2 may include a plurality of types of user terminals 13that are adapted for communication with the satellites 12. The userterminals 13 include, by example, a plurality of different types offixed and mobile user terminals including, but not limited to, handheldmobile radio-telephones 14, vehicle mounted mobile radio-telephones 15,paging/messaging-type devices 16, and fixed radio-telephones 14 a. Theuser terminals 13 are preferably provided with omnidirectional antennas13 a for bidirectional communication via one or more of the satellites12.

It is noted that the fixed radio-telephones 14 a may employ adirectional antenna. This is advantageous in that it enables a reductionin interference with a consequent increase in the number of users thatcan be simultaneously serviced with one or more of the satellites 12.

It is further noted that the user terminals 13 may be dual use devicesthat include circuitry for also communicating in a conventional mannerwith a terrestrial cellular system.

Referring also to FIG. 3A, the user terminals 13 may be capable ofoperating in a full duplex mode and communicate via, by example, L-bandRF links (uplink or return link 17 b) and S-band RF links (downlink orforward link 17 a) through return and forward satellite transponders 12a and 12 b, respectively. The return L-band RF links 17 b may operatewithin a frequency range of 1.61 GHz to 1.625 GHz, a bandwidth of 16.5MHz, and are modulated with packetized digital voice signals and/or datasignals in accordance with the preferred spread spectrum technique. Theforward S-band RF links 17 a may operate within a frequency range of2.485 GHz to 2.5 GHz, a bandwidth of 16.5 MHz. The forward RF links 17 aare also modulated at a gateway 18 with packetized digital voice signalsand/or data signals in accordance with the spread spectrum technique.

The 16.5 MHz bandwidth of the forward link is partitioned into 13channels with up to, by example, 128 users being assigned per channel.The return link may have various bandwidths, and a given user terminal13 may or may not be assigned a different channel than the channelassigned on the forward link. However, when operating in the diversityreception mode on the return link (receiving from two or more satellites12), the user is assigned the same forward and return link RF channelfor each of the satellites.

The ground segment 3 includes at least one but generally a plurality ofthe gateways 18 that communicate with the satellites 12 via, by example,a full duplex C-band RF link 19 (forward link 19 a to the satellite),(return link 19 b from the satellite) that operates within a range offrequencies generally above 3 GHz and preferably in the C-band. TheC-band RF links bidirectionally convey the communication feeder links,and also convey satellite commands to the satellites and telemetryInformation from the satellites. The forward feeder link 19 a mayoperate in the band of 5 GHz to 5.25 GHz, while the return feeder link19 b may operate in the band of 6.875 GHz to 7.075 GHz.

The satellite feeder link antennas 12 g and 12 h are preferably widecoverage antennas that subtend a maximum earth coverage area as seenfrom the LEO satellite 12. In the presently preferred embodiment of thecommunication system 10 the angle subtended from a given LEO satellite12 (assuming 10° elevation angles from the earth's surface) isapproximately 110°. This yields a coverage zone that is approximately3600 miles in diameter.

The L-band and the S-band antennas are multiple beam antennas thatprovide coverage within an associated terrestrial service region. TheL-band and S-band antennas 12 c and 12 d, respectively, are preferablycongruent with one another, as depicted in FIG. 3B. That is, thetransmit and receive beams from the spacecraft cover the same area onthe earth's surface, although this feature is not critical to theoperation of the system 10.

As an example, several thousand full duplex communications may occurthrough a given one of the satellites 12. In accordance with a featureof the system 10, two or more satellites 12 may each convey the samecommunication between a given user terminal 13 and one of the gateways18. This mode of operation, as described in detail below, thus providesfor diversity combining at the respective receivers, leading to anincreased resistance to fading and facilitating the implementation of asoft handoff procedure.

It is pointed out that all of the frequencies, bandwidths and the likethat are described herein are representative of but one particularsystem. Other frequencies and bands bf frequencies may be used with nochange in the principles being discussed. As but one example, the feederlinks between the gateways and the satellites may use frequencies in aband other than the C-band (approximately 3 GHz to approximately 7 GHz),for example the Ku band (approximately 10 GHz to approximately 15 GHz)or the Ka band (above approximately 15 GHz).

The gateways 18 function to couple the communications payload ortransponders 12 a and 12 b (FIG. 3A) of the satellites 12 to theterrestrial infrastructure segment 4. The transponders 12 a and 12 binclude an L-band receive antenna 12 c, S-band transmit antenna 12 d,C-band power amplifier 12 e, C-band low noise amplifier 12 f, C-bandantennas 12 g and 12 h, L-band to C-band frequency conversion section 12i, and C-band to S-band frequency conversion section 12 j. The satellite12 also includes a master frequency generator 12 k and command andtelemetry equipment 121.

Reference in this regard may also be had to U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,647, byE. Hirshfield and C. A. Tsao, entitled “Mobile Communications Satellite“Payload”, which discloses one type of communications satellite payloadthat is suitable for use with the teaching of this invention.

The terrestrial infrastructure segment 4 is comprised of existingterrestrial systems and includes Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)gateways 20, local telephone exchanges such as regional public telephonenetworks (RPTN) 22 or other local telephone service providers, domesticlong distance networks 24, international networks 26, Internet 28 andother RPTNs 30. The communication system 10 operates to providebidirectional voice and/or data communication between the user segment 2and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) telephones 32 and non-PSTNtelephones 32 of the terrestrial infrastructure segment 4, or other userterminals of various types, which may be private networks.

Also shown in FIG. 1 (and also in FIG. 4), as a portion of the groundsegment 3, is a Satellite Operations Control Center (SOCC) 36, and aGround Operations Control Center (GOCC) 38. A communication path, whichincludes a Ground Data Network (GDN) 39 (see FIG. 2), is provided forinterconnecting the gateways 18 and TCUs 18 a, SOCC 36 and GOCC 38 ofthe ground segment 3. This portion of the communication system 10provides overall system control functions.

FIG. 2 shows one of the gateways 18 in greater detail. Each gateway 18includes up to four dual polarization RF C-band subsystems eachcomprising a dish antenna 40, antenna drive 42 and pedestal 42 a, lownoise receivers 44, and high power amplifiers 46. All of thesecomponents may be located within a radome structure to provideenvironmental protection.

The gateway 18 further includes down converters 48 and up converters 50for processing the received and transmitted RF carrier signals,respectively. The down converters 48 and the up converters 50 areconnected to a baseband subsystem 52 which, in turn, is coupled to thePublic Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) through a PSTN interface 54. Asan option, the PSTN could be bypassed by using satellite-to-satellitelinks.

The baseband subsystem 52 includes a signal summer/switch unit 52 a, aGateway Transceiver Subsystem (GTS) 52 b, a GTSC controller 52 c, and abaseband processor 52 d. It also includes the required frequencysynthesizer 52 g and a GPS receiver 52 h.

The PSTN interface 54 includes a PSTN Service Switch Point (SSP) 54 a, aCall Control Processor (CCP) 54 b, a Visitor Location Register (VLR) 54c, and a protocol interface 54 d to a Home Location Register (HLR). TheHLR may be located in the cellular gateway 20 (FIG. 1) or, optionally,in the PSTN interface 54.

The gateway 18 is connected to telecommunication networks through astandard interface made through the SSP 54 a. The gateway 18 provides aninterface, and connects to the PSTN via Primary Rate Interface (PRI), orother suitable means. The gateway 18 is further capable of providing adirect connection to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC).

The gateway 18 provides SS-7 ISDN fixed signaling to the CCP 54 b. Onthe gateway side of this interface, the CCP 54 b interfaces with thebaseband processor 52 d and hence to the baseband subsystem 52. The CCP54 b provides protocol translation functions for the system AirInterface (AI).

Blocks 54 c and 54 d generally provide an interface between the gateway18 and an external cellular telephone network that is compatible, forexample, with the IS-41 (North American Standard, AMPS) or the GSM(European Standard, MAP) cellular systems and, in particular, to thespecified methods for handling roamers, that is, users who place callsoutside of their home system. The gateway 18 supports user terminalauthentication for system 10/AMPS phones and for system 10/GSM phones.In service areas where there is no existing telecommunicationsinfrastructure, an HLR can be added to the gateway 18 arid interfacedwith the SS-7 signaling interface.

A user making a call out of the user's normal service area (a roamer) isaccommodated by the system 10 if authorized. In that a roamer may befound in any environment, a user may employ the same terminal equipmentto make a call from anywhere in the world, and the necessary protocolconversions are made transparently by the gateway 18. The protocolinterface 54 d is bypassed when not required to convert, by example, GSMto AMPS.

It is within the scope of the teaching of this invention to provide adedicated universal interface to the cellular gateways 20, in additionto or in place of the conventional “A” interface specified for GSMmobile switching centers and vendor-proprietary interfaces to IS-41mobile switching centers. It is further within the scope of thisinvention to provide an interface directly to the PSTN, as indicated inFIG. 1 as the signal path designated PSTN-INT.

Overall gateway control is provided by the gateway controller 56 whichincludes an interface 56 a to the above-mentioned Ground Data Network(GDN) 39 and an interface 56 b to a Service Provider Control Center(SPCC) 60. The gateway controller 56 is generally interconnected to thegateway 18 through the BSM 52 f and through RF controllers 43 associatedwith each of the antennas 40. The gateway controller 56 is furthercoupled to a database 62, such as a database of users, satelliteephemeris data, etc., and to an I/O unit 64 that enables servicepersonnel to gain access to the gateway controller 56. The GDN 39 isalso bidirectionally interfaced to a Telemetry and Command Unit (TCU)18A (FIGS. 1 and 4).

Referring to FIG. 4, the function of the GOCC 38 is to plan and controlsatellite utilization by the gateways 18, and to coordinate thisutilization with the SOCC 36. In general, the GOCC 38 analyses trends,generates traffic plans, allocates satellite 12 and system resources(such as, but not limited to, power and channel allocations), monitorsthe performance of the overall system 10, and issues utilizationinstructions, via the GDN 39, to the gateways 18 in real time or inadvance.

The SOCC 36 operates to maintain and monitor orbits, to relay satelliteusage information to the gateway for input to the GOCC 38 via the GDN39, to monitor the overall functioning of each satellite 12, includingthe state of the satellite batteries, to set the gain for the RF signalpaths within the satellite 12, to ensure optimum satellite orientationwith respect to the surface of the earth, in addition to otherfunctions.

As described above, each gateway 18 functions to connect a given user tothe PSTN for both signaling, voice and/or data communications and alsoto generate a date, via database 62 (FIG. 2), for billing purposes.Selected gateways 18 include a Telemetry and Command Unit (TCU) 18 a forreceiving telemetry data that is transmitted by the satellites 12 overthe return link 19 b and for transmitting commands up to the satellites12 via the forward link 19 a. The GDN 39 operates to interconnect thegateways 18, GOCC 38 and the SOCC 36.

In general, each satellite 12 of the LEO constellation operates to relayinformation from the gateways 18 to the users (C band forward link 19 ato S band forward link 17 a), and to relay information from the users tothe gateways 18 (L band return link 17 b to C band return link 19 b);Satellite ephemeris update data is also communicated to each of the userterminals 13, from the gateway 18, via the satellites 12. The satellites12 also function to relay signaling information from the user terminals13 to the gateway 18, including access requests, power change requests,and registration requests. The satellites 12 also relay communicationsignals between the users and the gateways 18, and may apply security tomitigate unauthorized use.

In operation, the satellites 12 transmit spacecraft telemetry data thatincludes measurements of satellite operational status. The telemetrystream from the satellites, the commands from the SOCC 36, and thecommunications feeder links 19 all share the C band antennas 12 g and 12h. For those gateways 18 that include a TCU 18 a, the received satellitetelemetry data may be forwarded immediately to the SOCC 36, or thetelemetry data may be stored and subsequently forwarded to the SOCC 36at a later time, typically upon SOCC request. The telemetry data,whether transmitted immediately or stored and subsequently forwarded, issent over the GDN 39 as packet messages, each pocket message containinga single minor telemetry frame. Should more than one SOCC 36 beproviding satellite support, the telemetry data is routed to all of theSOCCs.

The SOCC 36 has several interface functions with the GOCC 38. Oneinterface function is orbit position information, wherein the SOCC 36provides orbital information to the GOCC 38 such that each gateway 18can accurately track up to four satellites that may be in view of thegateway. This data includes data tables that are sufficient to allow thegateways 18 to develop their own satellite contact lists, using knownalgorithms. The SOCC 36 is not required to know the gateway trackingschedules, The TCU 18 a searches the downlink telemetry band anduniquely identifies the satellite being tracked by each antenna prior tothe propagation of commands.

Another interface function is satellite status information that isreported from the SOCC 36 to the GOCC 38. The satellite statusinformation includes both satellite/transponder availability, batterystatus and orbital information and incorporates, in general, anysatellite-related limitations that would preclude the use of all or aportion of a satellite 12 for communications purposes.

Thus, for example, in a preferred embodiment an improved LEO satelliteconstellation system is provided comprising approximately 40 to 48satellites as presently employed in the Globalstar® system, employingmultiple beams which may reach a plurality of user terminals. This ismore fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,325 which is incorporatedherein. A gateway is employed connected to either a PSTN or the Internetand communicating with a user terminal over the constellation so thateach user within a given frequency band is distinguished from another ofsaid users employing a combination of TOM and NOPN codes.

The system described herein employs NOPN codes to serve fixed terminals.The system includes TDM on the forward link from a gateway through thesatellite to the UT. The forward link transmission is divided into dataframes with multiple slots per frame. Each slot is assigned to aseparate UT so that users are distinguished from each other by means ofthe time slots in each frame. Based on the location of the user, thegateway can assign a specific beam of a separate satellite. In order tominimize interference between two users who are assigned the same timeslot in adjacent beams, each transmission is further modulated by ascrambling code that is a PN, or pseudorandom noise, sequence uniquelyassigned to each beam. Cross-correlation between any two of these PNsequences is minimal, so as to reduce interference between beams. If auser's location is covered by two different satellites, the gatewaytransmits to that UT on both satellites, and diversity combining is usedin the UT to combine these two signals and improve bit error rate (BER)performance.

The power allocated to each UT in each time slot is predetermined by thegateway and is used to vary the data rate to the UT as its propagationenvironment changes. This technique is also referred to in the art asHSDPA, or high speed digital packet access in the terrestrial WCDMAstandard, or wideband to CDMA. An alternative is to use power controlsimilar to what is employed in the current generation of Globalstar®where the UT data rate is kept constant and the power transmitted to theUT is varied according to propagation environment.

The center frequency of the signal transmitted to each UT is adjusted topre-compensate for Doppler between the gateway and satellite, thusminimizing the search time and window that the UT needs to lock on tothe signal. This technique is currently used in the Globalstar® system.Similarly, the timing of signals in each time slot transmitted to eachUT is adjusted by the gateway based on a calculated position of each UT;this calculation may be done either by incorporating GPS into each UT,which informs the gateway of its coordinates, or by other known methodsof position location, such as the techniques currently employed in theGlobalstar® system which is predicated on triangulation using multipledifferent delays from different satellites.

A separate narrowband control signal is transmitted from the gateway toeach UT having a fixed frequency for all UTs and is employed to informthe UTs as to the center frequency to be used in transmitting forwardlink signals in that gateway service area.

In the reverse link from UT to satellite to gateway; each user isassigned a different phase shift of a long PN code. These phase shiftsensure that the cross-correlation between different user signals at thegateway is minimal. This technique is referred to as NOPN in thisinvention since these PN codes are not orthogonal, although they havelow cross-correlation. Transmissions through multiple satellites arecombined at the gateway as in the current Globalstar® system. Eachtransmission from a UT consists of a short preamble which is used toreduce burst acquisition complexity at the gateway. Each preambleidentifies all users transmitting at a unique data rate. Reverse linkpower control may be performed as in the current Globalstar® system,where data rate is fixed and power is varied as needed to meet the linkbudget, or by varying the data rate and keeping UT power fixed, as wasmentioned for the forward link recited above. Typically, this presents atradeoff which needs to be made between allowing a greater number of UTdata rates to improve granularity of power utilization versus hardwarecomplexity at the gateway.

In this system, the gateway receiver compensates for the gateway tosatellite Doppler based on accurately known satellite positions and forthe less precisely known UT locations.

Typically, for the forward link each user is assigned a fixed time slotof a frame such as 5 ms slot in a 40 Ms frame and different users aretime division multiplexed, or TDM, onto a single frequency carrier. Inthe return direction, the data from the different UTs is distinguishedusing different time slots which may typically be 10 MS long; a group ofusers assigned a particular time slot and a particular phase shift of avery long pseudorandom code, or PN code. Different phase shifts of sucha code are used to increase the number of users supported since thenumber of time slots of a single code would limit the number of usersthat can be supported. This describes the conventional techniquereferred to as NOPN, or non-orthogonal PN code usage.

While the present invention has been particularly described with respectto certain components in its preferred embodiment, it will be understoodthat the invention is not limited to these particular componentsdescribed in the preferred embodiments, or the sequence in employing ormethods of processing the components. On the contrary, it is intended tocover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may beincluded within the spirit and scope of the invention defined by theappended claims.

In addition, other components may be employed in the system of theinstant invention as claimed as well as variations and alternatives tothe components disclosed and claimed with similar results with regard tothe operation and function of the system of the instant invention. Inparticular, the scope of the invention is intended to include, forexample GEO satellites equipped with dynamic beam forming which furtherenhances the performance of the system, or equipped with a DigitalChannelizer Router (DCR) or employing virtual gateway techniques as setout in U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,440, especially in FIGS. 15B-C.

This may be combined with reconfigurable beam forming or dynamic beamforming.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for distinguishing user terminalcommunications in a satellite communication system, where said satellitesystem comprises at least one satellite which provides multiple beams; aplurality of user terminals, each of said user terminal being configuredto communicate through said at least one satellite, with another of saidplurality of user terminals, or with a public switched telephone networkor with a data network; each of said user terminals is equipped toinitiate or receive or terminate packet data messages via saidsatellite; wherein said satellite communications system is configured tohand off a user terminal communication from one beam of said at leastone satellite to another beam of said least one satellite predicated onsignal strength of said user terminal communication, and at least onegateway connected to the public switched telephone network or the datanetwork and configured to communicate with said plurality of userterminals over the at least one satellite, wherein, on an active seriesof user terminal communications through said satellite system thatoccupy a given frequency band of the satellite communication system, themethod comprising the steps of: distinguishing each of said userterminals communications in said series of user terminal communicationsby employing a combination of time division multiplexing, non-orthogonalpseudorandom noise codes, or time slots; said method further comprisingthe step of distinguishing one of the user terminal communications onone beam of said at least one satellite from another of said userterminal communications on an adjacent beam of said at least onesatellite, when the two user communications occupy the same said timeslot, by using only said non-orthogonal pseudorandom codes.
 2. Themethod of claim 1 wherein said time division multiplexing and time slotsare implemented in a forward link distinguishing each of said userterminals communications in said series of user terminal communications.3. The method of claim 1 wherein said time division multiplexing andnon-orthogonal pseudorandom noise codes are implemented in a reverselink distinguishing each of said user terminals communications in saidseries of user terminal communications.
 4. The method of claim 3 whereinsaid reverse link further uses time slots to distinguish each of saiduser terminals communications in said series of user terminalcommunications.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein a forward link usestime division multiplexing to distinguish each of said user terminalscommunications in said series of user terminal communications and areturn link uses non-orthogonal pseudorandom noise codes and time slotsto distinguish each of said user terminals communications in said seriesof user terminal communications to distinguish users.
 6. The method ofclaim 1 wherein said at least one satellite comprises a LEOconstellation satellite system.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein saidsatellite system comprises a MEO satellite system.
 8. The method ofclaim 1 wherein said at least one satellite comprises a GEO satelliteconstellation.